mcmullin



H. W. McMULLlN.

MEANS FOR OPERATING AUTOMOBILE TOPS.

APPLICATION FILED on. 18. 1911..

.-1,3Q3,537 Patented Dec. 2,1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

wuewlio a H. W. McMULLlN.

MEANS FOR OPEBMING AUTOMOBILE TOPS.

APPLlCATiON FILED OCT. 18. 19H- i,323,537. Patented Dec. 2,1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- 3mm .95 m0 m3 0/"7 M/A'm H. W. McMULLlN.

MEANS FOR OPERATING AUTOMOBILE TOPS.

APPLICATION FILED 0m. 18, 1917.

1 ,323Q537. Patented Dec. 2, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

nnrrnn srnTns PATENT orrion.

HARRY 1VIoMULLIN, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR TO THE MCMULLIN AUTO- MATIC TOP COMPANY, OF DENVER, COLORADO, A CORPORATION OF COLORADO,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY W. MGMUL- LIN, a citizen of the United States, residing atthe city and county of Denver and-State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Operating Automobile-Tops; land I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertain to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in means for operating the tops of automobiles, and relates more particularly to a construction adapted to quickly and automatically raise the top from its lowered or down position. c

The advantage of a construction of this kind will be readily understood, since the time required to raisean automobile top under ordinary conditions and with the constructions generally heretofore .in vogue, often results in those who are engaged in it being exposed to storms, as heavy rains particularly in mountainous regions where storms begin without much warning. 7

Another feature of the invention consists in the means for removing the boot or cover of the top from the latter when in the down position, said removal being automatic and preparatory to and practically simultaneous with the elevation of the top.

The raising of the top is accomplished by spring-actuated mechanism. which is released by closing an electric circuit. The specific construction employed is an electr magnet of the solenoid type, the core of the solenoid when the coil is energized serving to move a rod with which it is connected suiiiciently to actuate a pair of bell crank levers which serve through-the medium of suitablev connections, to operate parts whereby-the latter are brought into position to be engaged by spring-actuated latches, the movement of the latches incident to the engagement of said. parts serving to release the devices which hold the top in the down position against the tension of the springs which operate the means for raising the top.

Having briefly outlined my improvement I will proceed to describe the same in deta l,

7 Specification of Letters Patent.

MEANS "FOR, OPERATING AUTOMOBILE-TOPS.

Patented Dec. 2, 1919.

c Application filed. October 18,1917. Serial No. 197,335.

reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof. In this drawing:

Figure l is aside elevation of an automobile body showing a top connected to be operated by my improvement.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken through the body on a line 2-2, Fig. 1 looking downwardly. p i

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3,

Fig. 1, looking toward the right, the parts being shown on a larger scale.

Fig; 4 is a section taken on the line 44, Fig. 1 viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows, the parts also being shown on a larger scale.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 55, Fig. 3 looking toward the left, the parts being shown on a larger scale.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the rear seat portion of the automobile showing the boot and its elastic strap connections extended preparatory to applying the same to the top after the latter is down.

Fig. 7 is a section taken on the line 77, Fig. 6, the parts being shown on a larger scale.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side view of the rear portion of the body of an automobile showing the top down and my improved boot applied. In this View, the operating mechanism is also illustrated.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate the body of an automobile whose top 6 consists of long bows 7 and 8, a short bow 9, together with a system of levers 10 connected with the bows and with the cover 12, in such a manner as to extend the forward portion of the top and raise the rear bow 7by the positive or direct operation of the bow 8. This lever system is substantially the same as illustrated in Patent No. 1,246,449 granted to me November 13, 1917, and therefore, need not be described in extreme detail, since nothing is claimed in this application on the specific construction of the top mechanism, and as any suitable system of lever connections which will perform the said function during the raising operation and at the same time allow the bows to fold into small compass, as illustrated in Fig. 8 of the drawing, will serve the purpose Hence, the mechanism acting on the long bow 5 fa th p p f raising the top will now be described. It should be stated, however, that the lower extremities of the side'a-rms of the bow. 7 are pivotally connected as shown at 13 with a projection 14 formed on the lower part of the bow 8. r

The lower extremity of each arm 15 of the bow 8 is rigidly connected, as shown at 16, with one extremity of a crank arm 17 whose opposite extremity is pivotally connected as shown at 18 with' a link 19, the opposite extremity of the link being pivotally connected as shown at 20 with a crank arm 21 whose opposite extremity is rigidly secured as shown at-22-with one extremity of a rock shaft 23. Between the extremities of the rock shaft, depending crank arms 24 are rigidly secured to the shaft at their upper extremities, their lower extremities being respectively p'ivotally connected as shown at 25 with the forward extremities of rods 26, as shown at 27, the rear extremities of the rods being secured as shown at 28 to the central portions of yolres 29 to whose opposite extremities are attached, as shown at 30 the rear ends of spiral springs 31 whose forward extremities are secured as shown at 32 to a. stationary support 33 which is perforated or open to allow the rods 26 to pass freely therethrough. Then the automobile top is lowered or in the down position, as shown in Figs. 3 and 8', the rock shaft 16 and its connections are operated to place the springs 31 under tension, as illustrated in Fig. 8.. After the top has been lowered or moved to the position shown in the last named figure, the boot or flexible housing34 Fig. 6), is drawn out of a pocket35 in the body of the machine in the rear of the seat as indicated by the forward dotted line in Figs. 1 and 8. In Fig. 1 the collapsedboot 34 is indicated by dotted lines within the pocket 35. This boot is composed of flexible material preferably water proof, but not in itself elastic, and as illustrated in thedrawing, referring to Fig. 6. may be said to be composed of parts 36, 37, 38 and 39. To the boot is secured at points 40 approximately between the parts 36 and 37 two elastic straps 41, whose opposite extremities extend downwardly into the pocket 35 where they are secured as shown at 42. These straps serve to draw the entire boot into the po ket when the various parts of the boot and the straps are released. as hereinafter explained, preparatory to the elevation of the top to the position shown in Fig. 1. To

Hence, when the latter are in their normal position they reduce the width or length of the part 37 in the manner required in order to facilitate its entrance into the pocket 35. There are two parts39,each of which is secured to the part 37 as shown at 46, the free ends of the parts being provided with eyes There are two parts 38 which when the part 36; Normally this elastic strap constructio1r49 and 51, holds the parts'38 in the collapsed position, whereby they are caused to overlap the part 36in order to facilitate the movement of the entire boot into the pocket 35; Otherstrap's 53 are-cennected with the part 36', as shownat 54. L 7

After the top of the machine is lowered or moved to the position shown in Fig; 8, the boot which at this thesis entirely'collapsed within the pocket 35,- is pulled eat of the pocket, whereby the part- 36" takes the position indicated in Fig"? 8 and esters the top portion of the rear part of the top, while the part 37 engages the rear part of the top, as indicated Fig. 8 and alsoextends undernea'th the top, after which the elastic straps '43 are connected'through the medium of their eyes 55 with the lower extremities of pins 56 which throu h per forations 57 formed in parts 5'8, formingithe lower portions of bracketsta wliicha;1-'e'-secared to the side's'of the body of the machine by meansof horizontally dis osed projections 60, which are expanded into plates 61, the latter being" s'eeured'to the body of the machine by means of suitable fastening devices 62. The part fisplOjctS rearwardly fronithe bracket 59 and farms a stop for the lower extremity of a spiral spring 63 whose upper extremity en ages a tension nut 64 threaded (man actuating rod 65 upon which the pin 56' is formed. In other words, the pin 56 is simply the reduced lower end of the rod 65. the reduction in diameter being made in order to facilitate the attachment of certain parts, as hereinafter more fully 'ex lain'e'd. 'The part 57 forms a guide as well asa support for the rod 65, the upper extremity of the latter being pivotally connected, as shown at 66, with the base 67 of a hook 68, the latter being pivotally connected, as shownat 69 with the r upper extremity of the bracket 59. .When

the top is down th'e'hook 68 is thrown into engagement with one of the side arms 70 of thefOrward top part, a lever 72.0f-the top being below the part 70, whiletlie bows 8 and 7 are next beliiW-iIrtlli 9 31;?? 3l f16 i the how 7 engaging a seat 73 mounted on a projection 7 4 carried by the bracket59. In other words, when the top is in the down osition, as shown at Fig. 8, the parts 70,

2, 8 and-7 are arranged approximately as shown in Fig. 3, so that when the hooks 68 on Opposite sides of the structure are in the retaining position shown in Fig. 3, the top is securely held in the down positio-nand the pins 56 of the rod extend below. the part 57, the hook 68 being locked in the down position by the pawl extremity 7 50f a rod 76, whose opposite extremity 77 constitutes a latch bolt adapted to engage a ing slidably mounted in a keeper 80 supported on the inner end of an arm 81 carried by the bracket 59 and formed integral with the top of the latter. This stem 7 9 is normally held in the position shown in Fig. 5 by a spiral spring, 181 which surrounds the stem above the part 80 which is engaged by the lower extremity of the spring whose upper extremity engages the enlarged top 82 which forms a shoulder. Hence, when the stem, there being one on each side of the machine, is in the uppermost position, the pawl extremity of the rod 76 engages the hook 68 to lock the latter in the top retaining position when the latter is down, but when the stems 79 are moved downwardly sufficiently to allow the latch bolt extremity 77 of the rod 76 to enter the recesses 78 of the stem, the pawl extremity 7 5 will be disengaged from the recesses in the base of the hook 68, and the rod 65 acting under the influence of the spring 63 which is under tension when the hook is in the full line position in Fig. .3, will act to throw the hook 68 from the full line position in Fig. 3 to the dotted line position in the same figure, whereby the top will be released and allowed to move into the raised position by virtue of the recoil of the two sets of spiral springs 31 which are held under tension when the top is down, as heretofore explained.

Referring now againto the arrangement of the boot when it is removed from the pocket 35 in order to cover the top when in the collapsed position, shown in Fig- 8, when first adjusted the eye extremities 83 of the elastic strap extensions 19 will be first connected with the projecting extremities of the pins 56 of the rods 65. This operation will draw the parts 38 of the boot downwardly from the top part 36 covering the sides of the collapsed top of the automobile. The eye extremities 47 of the parts 39 will then be connected with the pins 56 below the eyes 83. The elastic" straps 43 will then be extended to cause thepart 37 of the boot to cover the automobile topunderneath, whereby the said part will be stretched smooth or taut for the purpose, after which the eyes 55 will. be connected with the pins. 56 belowthe stem 7 9 just below a recess 78 the stem be-' eyes 417, and finally the straps 53 will be carried downwardly and their eye extremities connected with the pins 56 below the eyes 55. i

The boot will then be secured in its exposed position in order to perform its function of covering the automobile top when in the down position.

Before the top can be released preparatory to being raised, it is necessary that the pawl extremity 75 of each rod 76 shall be disengaged from its recesses in the base 67 of the hook 68, but the movement of the rod 76 for this purpose cannot occur until the pins 79 are depressed sufficiently to bring their recesses 78 into line with the latch bolt extremities 77 of the rods 76. Connected with eyes 84 with which the lower extremities of the stems 79 are provided, are wires or other suitable devices 85 which extend downwardly into the lower part of the pocket 35 below the portion thereof which the boot 3 L occupies when collapsed, the lower ends of these wires (see Figs. 1 and 4) being connected, as shown at 86, with arms 87 of bell crank levers 88 which are fulcrumed as shown at 89, upon a stationary member 90, which is supported in the lower part of the pocket by means of rods 91 which are secured to the member 90 by means of staples 92, or other suitable fastening devices. The lower extremities'of these rods pass through bottom plates 93, while their upper extremities 94 enter openings in the back of the body of. the machine, these extremities being curved for the purpose. Other arms 95 of the bell crank levers 88 are connected by a rod 96 which in turn is provided with a projection 97 which passes through a slot 98 formed in the upturned end 99 of the core or movable part 100 of the solenoid 101 whose coil is in a circuit, the conductors 102 and 103 of which are connected with a suitable source of current, the arrangement being such that when push button 104 is pressed, the circuit is closed and the solenoid energized, with the result that the rods 96 together with the levers 88 and the wires 85 are moved to the dotted line position in Fig. 4:, moving the stems 79 sufficiently to allow the latch bolts 77 of the rods 76 to enter the recesses 78 of thesaid stems, the rods 76 being under tension to assume such position through the medium of springs 105 which are connected at one end, as shown at 106, with the pawl extremity 75 of the rod 76, the opposite extremity of this spring being connected as shown at 107 with the central top portion of a channel member 108 which is pivotally connected with the top of the bracket 59, its pivotal axis being the same as that of the hook 68, the base of the latter being pivotally connected with the bracket, as shown. at 69. soon as this occurs the \moved into the dotted line position.

pawlextre'mity 7 5 of the rod 7 6 will be disengaged from its recess inthe base 67 of the hook 68 and the rod 65 acting under the recoil of its spring 63, will move upwardly to the dotted line position in Fig. 3, and

throw the hook 68 to the dotted line positionin the same figure. This upward movement ofthe rod also carries the pin extremity 56 of the rod upwardly far enough to release the boot parts 39, the straps as and the straps 53, in which event thestrap parts-l9 together with the strap member 51 will serve to draw the side parts 38 of the boot inwardly, while the elastic straps 13 will collapse the part 37 and the elastic straps 11 will draw the entire boot structure downwardly into the pocket 35 in which the boot is con cealed when not in use. This will happen immedlately after the aforesaid parts are disengaged from the pins 56, and as the automobile top has been released by the movement of the hook 68 to the dotted line position in Fig. 3, the recoil of the two sets of springs 31, acting on the crank arms 2i, will actuate the rock shaft 23, whereby the crank arms 21 are operated to raise the top in the position shown in'Fig; 1, through the medium of the links 19 and the crank arm 17. Now, when it is desired to lower the top to the position shown in Figs. 3 and 8, this may be manually accomplished, and as soon as the top is lowered, the two channel done, the recesses in the base 67 Off the hooks are brought into line to be engaged by the pawl extremities 81 of the rods 76, and the pawl extremities are moved into said recesses by the action of the springs 105 which are placed. under tension to perform this function when the said channel members are This movement of the pawl extremities actuates'the rods 76 to disengage the latch bolt extremities 77 from the recesses 78 of the stems 7 9, allowing the stems to move upwardly in response to the recoil of the springs 81. The channel members may then be returned to their normal position, andwhen this is done the springs 105 will be under tension to disengage the pawl extremities 75 from the parts 67 of the re taining hooks; but this cannot occur since the latch bolt extremities 77 cannot enter. the recesses 7 8 of the stems. It will be understood that the channel members 108 are so pivoted with reference to the points wherethe springs 105, are connected with the pawl extremities of the rods 37 6 that the aforesaid result willfollow In other words, while the tension of the springs. 105,

when'the channel members 108 are in the full line position in F ig; 3, acts on the rods 76 to hold their latch bolt extremities in the recesses 78 of the stems 7 9, the action ofthe tensionof these springs is in the opposite direction when the channel members are thrown to the dotted line position in Fig. 3, and consequently, serves. to move the rods 76 in the oppositedirection, which is neces sary in order to secure the retaining hooks in the position to lock the top in its lowered position.

It should be explained that in the event that the solenoid 101 should not work, as.

if the circuit were broken or the battery too weak for the purpose, the same result may be manually accomplishedby pushing downwardly on the top 82 of the stems 79 until the recesses 78 arethrown into position to be engaged by the extremities 77 of the rods 76. v

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: a

1. The combination with a collapsible vehicle top, of springactuated means for raising said top, means for holding the top in the collapsed position against the tension of the spring-actuated means, means for locking the holdlng means against movement, means for releasing the lockingmeans, and positively operating means for moving the holding means into inoperative position after release of the locking means.

2. The combination with a collapsible vehicle top, of springactuated means for raising the said top, means for holding the top in the collapsed position against the tension of the spring-actuated means, means for locking the holding means against movement, means for releasing the locking the release of the locking means, a collapsible boot connected with the machine and normally y-ieldingly retained in the collapsed position, the said boot having parts connected with the last named spring-actuated means when the boot. 1s expanded, to

hold the boot into position to perform its. top'coverlng function, sald parts being ar:

rangedto be releasedwhen the last named formance of itsfunction.

4. The combination with the collapsible spring-actuated means moves in the pertop of an automobile or other'vehicle, the

latter having a pocket in its rear portion,

a collapsible boot normally y'ieldingly re- 5.' The combination with the collapsible top of an automobile or other vehicle, the latter having a pocket in its rear portion, a collapsible boot normally yieldingly retained in the said pocket, means for holding the boot in the expanded position to cover the automobile top when the latter is in the down position, said last named means being movable to release the boot and allow the latter to return to its normal position within the pocket, means for holding the top in the collapsed position, means for locking the'holding means against movement, and means for releasingthe locking means, the boot holding means being connected to auto matically disengage the top holding means when the latter is unlocked, this function being accomplished during the movement of the boot holding means to release the boot as aforesaid.

6. The combination with a collapsible top for automobiles and other vehicles, the ve- V hicle having a pocket in its rear part, a collapsible boot normally yieldingly retained in the collapsed position within said pocket, a pivoted dog for holding the top in the down or collapsed position, means for locking said dog in the holding position, means for releasing the locking means, a springactuated rod normally under tension to move the said dog to disengage it from the top holding position when the dog is released, the boot having parts which when it is expanded to perform the top covering function are connected with the sprlngactuated rod, said parts being arranged to be released when said rod moves to disengage the said dog, and means for automatically raising the top when the dog is released, whereby the top raising function is performed as'soon as the boot is released and allowed to return tothe said pocket.

7. The combination with a collapsible top for automobiles or other vehicles, of a pivoted dog for holding the top in the down or collapsed position, means for locking the dog in the holding position, means for 'releasing the locking means, a spring-actuated rod normally under tension to move the said dog to disengage it from the top holding position, and means for automatically raising the top when the said dog is disengaged.-

8. The combination with a collapsible top for automobiles'or ther vehicles, of a pivoted dog for holding the top in the down or collapsed position, means for locking said dog in the holding position, means for releasing the locking means, a spring-actuated rod normally under tension to move the said dog to disengage it from the top holding position, and spring-actuated means for automatically raising the top when the dog is released.

9. The combination with a collapsible top for automobiles and other vehicles, the ve hicle having a pocket in its rear portion, a

boot normally yieldingly retained in the collapsed position within said pocket, a

spring-actuated rod, means for locking said rod against movement in response to the ten sion of its spring, means for releasing the locking'means, the boot having parts which when it is expanded to pertorm the top covering function, are connected with the said rod to maintain the boot in the top covering position, the arrangement being such that the movement of the rod when released, releases the boot and allows the latter to return to the said pocket.

10. The combination with the collapsible top of an automobile or other vehicle, of a pivoted dog for holding the top in the collapsed position, a rod having a pawl at one end adapted to enter a recess in the dog to lock the latter in the top holding position, the other end of the rod being tormedinto a bolt, a latch stem having a socket to re ceive said bolt, the stem being normally spring-actuated to hold the socket out of alinement with the bolt end of the rod, a spring connected with the rod to place stress thereon to move its bolt extremity to engage the socket when the stem is moved against the tension of its own spring to bring the socket into proper position, the arrange- :ment being such that the movement of the ceive said bolt, the stem being normally spring-actuated to hold the socket out of alinement with the bolt end of the rod, a spring connected with the rod to place stress thereon to move its bolt extremity to engage the socket when the stem is moved against the tension of its own spring to bring the socket into proper position, the arrangement being such that the movement of the rod to cause its bolt end to enter the socket of the stem disengages the pawl from'the dog, a pivoted arm with which the rod spring is connected, said arm being movable to reverse the direction of the stress'on the rod due to the springto cause-the bolt extremity ton-disengage itself from the socket of the stem and the pawl extremity to engage the dog in looking relation when the dog is moved ;to the top vhol ding-position, the dog When disengaged from-the top lying in the 10 In testimony WhereofI affix mys ignatufe.

-HARRY WM MIJLLIN. 

